


Keeping the Nightmares Away

by Geekhyena



Category: Girl Genius
Genre: Female Character of Color, Gen, Kolee dok Zumil, Mentions of Character Death, Nightmares, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Female/Female Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 17:11:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/864530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geekhyena/pseuds/Geekhyena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during the Circus Arc - Agatha has nightmares.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping the Nightmares Away

Disclaimer: The Foglios own all the characters therein. I just play with them.

\------

The Circus had camped down for the night, and Zeetha's shift on night watch was over. Now that Captain Kadiiski was keeping an eye on things, she decided to head back to her own wagon to clean her swords and rest, or at least to meditate. Passing by the Baba Yaga, she heard soft sounds coming from inside the wagon. They weren't pleasant ones, and she paused, listening harder. A muffled scream made her start, and she peered beneath the shutters to see Agatha thrashing in her bed, obviously in the throes of a nightmare.

"Agatha…" she called softly. "Wake up…"

There was no response, and she heard a low, pained moan escape Agatha. The girl thrashed, hitting her head hard against a shelf. Zeetha made up her mind. Jimmying the lock on the shutters, she swung herself in. "Wake up, Zumil…"

"…huhwha..?" Agatha's eyes opened blearily.

"You were having a nightmare."

Agatha rubbed her head, feeling the sore spot from where she had clonked it. "It wasn't so bad…"

"Agatha, you were screaming and thrashing in your sleep."

She sighed. "All right, it was pretty terrible."

Zeetha sat on the bed, close enough to offer support without intruding on the younger girl's personal space. "Want to talk about it?"

Agatha scooched closer to Zeetha, leaning into the older girl's offered embrace as she tucked her knees up to her chest. "I was back on the Castle….my parents had come to rescue me, and we were escaping, but then there was this woman…and she attacked, and my parents stepped between me and her, and she….she ripped them apart in front of me!"

Zeetha's eyes widened. "Did that actually happen?"

Agatha nodded. "The last thing I saw of Adam, she had ripped his heart through his chest and crushed it….and then Lilith was telling me to run, and that she loved me, and then she….and that woman….that woman ripped her apart, too. My parents! The strongest, most caring people I've ever known! And then Von Pinn…that woman…she looked up at me, and her eyes were red with fury, and she looked up at me and just SCREAMED, and she tried to get me, too…."

She shuddered. "Back then, I got away. But not in the nightmare. I was frozen, too scared to move, and she came at me, and her claws were raised, and I knew that she was going to rip me to shreds just like my parents…"

"What a monster…."

"She was! Well….I…I don't know. She was just scary and frustrating at first, and I just tried to avoid her, but…but then, after what she did to my parents…." Agatha turned and buried her face in Zeetha's chest, hot tears in her eyes. "She ripped them to shreds right in front of me! My parents! They had risked a lot, just coming to save me, and they were just trying to help me, and I couldn't do anything to save them! And then I was running, and running, and so scared, and….I never even got to say goodbye."

Zeetha gently rubbed small circles on Agatha's back. "Sssh….sssh…." This new information filled in some gaps, but raised several interesting questions. "You're safe now. She can't get to you, I promise. And even if she did…" Zeetha grinned wickedly, showing off sharp canines. "I would kill her before I let her hurt you."

Agatha sniffled a little bit, using the neckline of her nightdress as an impromptu tissue. "Really?"

"You are my zumil. It is my duty…my honor to look after you no matter what. I will be your rock."

Agatha nodded, her breathing slowing down and becoming steadier.

"Do you think you will have more nightmares?"

"I…I don't know. I've been getting them a lot lately."

Zeetha nodded. She had noticed that while Agatha was ready to train in the mornings, the nights of poor sleep were beginning to catch up with the girl. "Would you like me to stay?"

Agatha thought it over, realizing that right now, she was exhausted, and more than that, she really didn't want to be alone right now. She nodded. "Please?"

"Then I will stay." She let Agatha get situated in the bed before snuggling into bed with the younger girl, one arm wrapped protectively around her, the other hand on the hilt of a sword.

"Go to sleep, Agatha. I will keep the nightmares away."

Agatha smiled sleepily. "Thanks, Zeetha." She fell asleep like that, while Zeetha kept a protective watch over her zumil, pondering more on the mystery that was Agatha Clay.

Agatha shifted in her sleep, snuggling closer, her arms wrapping around Zeetha like the girl was a giant stuffed animal. There were no more nightmares that night.


End file.
